--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As economists have often pointed out, we…" description: "\"As economists have often pointed out, we pay doctors for quantity, not quality. As they point out less often, we also pay them as individuals, rather t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/atul-gawande-1871_doctors_as-economists-have-often-pointed-out-we_380931.png" --- # As economists have often pointed out, we pay doctors for… ![“As economists have often pointed out, we pay doctors for quantity, not quality. As they point out less often, we also pay them as individuals, rather than as members of a team working together for their patients. Both practices have made for serious problems.” quote by Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/atul-gawande-1871_doctors_as-economists-have-often-pointed-out-we_380931.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/atul-gawande-1871_doctors_as-economists-have-often-pointed-out-we_380931.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/atul-gawande-1871_doctors_as-economists-have-often-pointed-out-we_380931.png) > “As economists have often pointed out, we pay doctors for quantity, not quality. As they point out less often, we also pay them as individuals, rather than as members of a team working together for their patients. Both practices have made for serious problems.” [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Healthcare rewards volume over value, and individual incentives hinder teamwork, leading to systemic issues. **In simple terms:** Quantity is prioritized over quality, and solo focus hurts collaboration. Key Takeaway Reform incentives to reward quality and teamwork. Themes healthcare incentives teamwork quality Mood analytical concerned Type policy philosophical When to use this quote - hospital administration - insurance policy - clinical practice - medical education Key Concepts economics system design patient outcomes Questions to Reflect On - How can we align doctor compensation with patient outcomes? - What models successfully promote collaborative care? A Different Perspective Changing incentives can be politically difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Economist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economist/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Working together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-together/) ## Related quotes > [You know that without the whole team working together, it's a very hard job for the defenders, so everyone plays a part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-smalling/you-know-that-without-the-whole-team-working-together-it-s-a-very/) [Chris Smalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-smalling/) > [“Nothing much will change until we pay doctors and hospitals when they appropriately do less as well as we do when they inappropriately do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/nothing-much-will-change-until-we-pay-doctors-and-hospitals-when-they/) [Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/) > [You don't need a group of superstars, you need a team working together to bring you better results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lara/you-don-t-need-a-group-of-superstars-you-need-a-team-working-together/) [Brian Lara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lara/) > [It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/it-is-amazing-that-people-who-think-we-cannot-afford-to-pay-for/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [You paying for quantity, but quality is what you spend for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/you-paying-for-quantity-but-quality-is-what-you-spend-for/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [“You can never have enough of anything, because enough of anything has nothing to do with the quantity or quality of that thing. 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